Survey of King David’s Life

II Samuel 14-24
Looking back on David’s life he trusts in the absolute, sovereignty of his God. He is running from Saul who kills him if he could. In his encounters with Saul and Saul’s army he had a chance to kill Saul. At one point even touched Saul’s cloak but purposely allowed Saul to live. He knew The Lord put Saul on the throne and he knew The Lord would remove him and put him on the throne at the appointed time.

David dropped to his lowest point from his high. He doesn’t go to war but instead sent Joab. By chance (evil hunts him through his flesh) he sees Bathsheba bathing. His flesh gets really aggressive and he calls for her. David commits a horrible sin and attempts to cover it up.

He uses his son in a conspiracy and has Uriah sent to the front lines of battle. Has the troops pull back so that Uriah is killed.

David thinks he has found peace and saved face–he has not. His woes have only begun.

God uses a humble prophet, Nathan, to reconcile all. Nathan comes and tells a parallel story to get David to see the depth of his fall before God. He sees, he repents and God allows David to lead his people again.

David must experience deep repentance here after Nathan confronted him. God: “I vow that because of what you have done I will cause your own household to rebel against you. I will give your wives to another man, and he will go to bed with them in public view. You did this secretly, but I will do this publicly in the sight of all of Israel.”

The man referred to here by God is Absolom. The mess created by David’s sin gets messier and Absolom, his beloved son, turns on him and declares himself King, hunts David and his army. David loses Absolom in the process.

So much pain could have been avoided had David pursued the normal duties of a king. One momentary evil choice resulted in the disintegration of his family and shame before his people.

What pain, caused by sin, is in your life which you wish could have been avoided?

David is so like us. However, I believe his life is on display here so that the tragic consequences of what we perceive as insignificant, can be our downfall. I learned so much from looking at King David.